Post: Post Reply: Thursday by Beadman

Original Message: Thursday

It was so cold Wednesday night, the water in the hotel fountain froze--and looks like an ice sculpture.
We went to the Holidome first today. I bought four strands of lapis beads (two for a client), and had to use my reserve of cash. Then I found the Polish company that's selling heat-treated Colombian copal as "green amber"—and I intended to buy a necklace, but they too were only accepting cash and checks. So I passed for a second time. It irks me to have to buy this stuff as "Caribbean amber"—but if I don't I won't have a specimen to use in any educational context. The necklace I attempted to buy was $60., and therefore intended to sell for at least $120. i passed entirely on a necklace of BRIGHT (read "phony-looking") RED beads, that would have set me back $110. I read through their handout, in which they rationalize why it's OK to sell this stuff as "amber." They even admit it has been autoclaved. (Heated.)
At the Gem Mall (near the Holidome), at Wild Things Beads (the people I went to the Czech Republic with in May), I bought two strands of plastic beads, that resemble the many ellipsoidal shapes we seen (as from Africa and the Middle "East, imitating amber), but that, in this instance, are nearly colorless and somewhat gray, with a certain chatoyance. Nice looking, and not expensive.
Also at the Gem Mall, I finally managed to go to the silver wholesaler who has a room full of beads and findings, and bought scads of these and gold plated and gold-filled beads and clasps for future use.
It was still early, so we returned to the Grant Inn. Bassem did not come in today, because the place where he's staying had a burst pipe overnight, and I guess it was a mess, and he couldn't bathe today. Tomorrow, he is having dinner with us, and showing the Group a selection of his beads—which I am sure they will enjoy.
At Hands of the Hills, Steve Dunning and I chatted for a short time, and he gave me a necklace of new pumtek beads—of the type that have incomplete patterns, due to the lack of porosity of certain areas of the stone. Very kind of him. I bought a few strands new Afghan serpentine beads.
More later. Jamey
Copyright 2024
All rights reserved by Bead Collector Network and its users

Original Message: Thursday
It was so cold Wednesday night, the water in the hotel fountain froze--and looks like an ice sculpture. We went to the Holidome first today. I bought four strands of lapis beads (two for a client), and had to use my reserve of cash. Then I found the Polish company that's selling heat-treated Colombian copal as "green amber"—and I intended to buy a necklace, but they too were only accepting cash and checks. So I passed for a second time. It irks me to have to buy this stuff as "Caribbean amber"—but if I don't I won't have a specimen to use in any educational context. The necklace I attempted to buy was $60., and therefore intended to sell for at least $120. i passed entirely on a necklace of BRIGHT (read "phony-looking") RED beads, that would have set me back $110. I read through their handout, in which they rationalize why it's OK to sell this stuff as "amber." They even admit it has been autoclaved. (Heated.) At the Gem Mall (near the Holidome), at Wild Things Beads (the people I went to the Czech Republic with in May), I bought two strands of plastic beads, that resemble the many ellipsoidal shapes we seen (as from Africa and the Middle "East, imitating amber), but that, in this instance, are nearly colorless and somewhat gray, with a certain chatoyance. Nice looking, and not expensive. Also at the Gem Mall, I finally managed to go to the silver wholesaler who has a room full of beads and findings, and bought scads of these and gold plated and gold-filled beads and clasps for future use. It was still early, so we returned to the Grant Inn. Bassem did not come in today, because the place where he's staying had a burst pipe overnight, and I guess it was a mess, and he couldn't bathe today. Tomorrow, he is having dinner with us, and showing the Group a selection of his beads—which I am sure they will enjoy. At Hands of the Hills, Steve Dunning and I chatted for a short time, and he gave me a necklace of new pumtek beads—of the type that have incomplete patterns, due to the lack of porosity of certain areas of the stone. Very kind of him. I bought a few strands new Afghan serpentine beads. More later. Jamey Copyright 2024 All rights reserved by Bead Collector Network and its users

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